Nursing-bottle.



M. C. COOMBS.

NURSING BOTTLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 915.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

A FOR/VH8 WITNESSES l uni sansv arena canton.

MILTON G. COOMBS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

NURSING-BOTTLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented lFeb. so, rare.

Application filed February 10, 1915. Serial No. 7,257.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON O. CooMBs, a citizen of the United States, the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in N ursing-Bottles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to nursing bottles and has for its object to provide a bottle of this description with an air inlet whereby nornial air pressure is maintained in said bottle and the formation of a vacuum therein is avoided so that colic in the infant using the bottle is prevented and the nipple at no time has a tendency to collapse. My improvement further contemplates controlling this air inlet by means of the nipplewhich acts as a valve to seal the said inlet and prevents leakage of the contents at all times and permits withdrawal thereof when the bottle is in active use.

A further object of my invention is to detachably connect the nipple with the bottle in such a manner that said nipple is firmly secured against accidental or unintentional removal from said bottle.

My improvement will be fully described hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings whichshow an example of my invention and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved nursing bottle and nipple, the latter being in section; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fi 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bottle witli the nipple removed and Fig. 4 is an exterior view of the nipple.

Referring to the drawings 5 represents the bottle which may be of any suitable form and construction and which is provided with a tubular neck 6 preferably tapering toward its free end and on which a plurality of outwardly and circumferentially extending projections 7 are formed as shown in Fig. 3, the said projections beand resident of faces 8 and with upper surfaces 9, the said surfaces 8 and 9 diverging toward the bottle neck from the outer peripheral edges 10 of said pro ections. The latter are further arranged with their opposed ends spaced from each other to form depressions 11 as shown best in Fig. 3. The neck 6 is further formed with a preferably spiral or helical channel 12 extending circumferentially about said neck and having its one end 12 terminating at the free end face thereof and its other end 12 communicating with a depression 11 which latter is continued downwardly to form a groove 13 in the bottle 5 as shown in Fig. 1.

The nipple itself comprises a tubular sleeve '14 continued to form the customary teat 15 having an opening 15 in the end thereof and a seat 15 adjacent to the sleeve 14, the said sleeve in the normal condition of the nipple being preferably slightly tapered toward said teat as shown in Fig. 4. At its lower free edge the said sleeve 14 is formed with an external annular head 16, and is further provided with a relatively smaller external annular head 17 located at a distance from and parallel with the bead 16 and connected therewith by means of friction grips or stiffening ribs 18 which are also located on the exterior surface of said sleeve for instance at diametrically opposite points and extend parallel with the axis of said sleeve as shown in Fig. 4.

In applying the nipple to the bottle the preferably tapering sleeve 14 is gradually eased on the similarly formed neck 6 and over the projections 7 until the head 16 is located beneath the peripheral edge 10 and in engagement with the undercut surfaces 8 as shown in Fig. 1. The positioning of the nipple on the bottle is facilitated by the tapering form of the neck and the sloping upper surfaces 9 of the projections along which the bead 16 is readily moved until 1t passes beyond the edge 10 and snaps beneath and into engagement with the surfaces 8. With this arrangement the danger of tearing the nipple or excessively stretching same when applying it to the bottle is obviated. In the final position of the parts the bead 17 is located approximately at the upper ends of the projections 7 or rather the sur- I Ward so that the portion 15 'structed, for instance rubber,

. through the groove faces 9 thereof and in addition to forming an additional gripping means for maintaining the nipple on the neck;6 also arrests a tendency to forcethe sleeve-14 farther on to the neck or to a point where it would obstruct the groove 13. At the same time the material of which the nipple is conbeing under tension when the sleeve is fully drawn upon the neck forces itself into the depressions 11 approximately .as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The sleeve 14 and consequently the entire nipple is thus firmly held on the neck 6 by the projections 7 and the cooperation between the sleeve material and the depressions 11 so that an accidental or unintentional dislocation of said nipple relatively to the bottle is absolutely prevented and the danger of the infant pulling said nipple from the contents is completely obviated. The spiral or helical channel 12, by roughening as it were the otherwise smooth outer surface of the neck also assists in securing the nipple in position on the bottle neck.

As Wlll be seen by referring to Fig. 1

when the nipple is positioned on the neck and the bottle is'not in use the seat or portion 15 of said nipple extends over and in contact with the end face of the neck 6 so that the end 12 of the channel 12 is closed and the interior of the bottle is sealed against the admission of air. Owing to this fact leakage of the contents is impossible. When the bottle is in use, the infant in the act of sucking thereon draws the nipple outis moved away from the end 12 of the channel 12 as in dicated approximately by dotted lines in Fig. 2. In this manner an amount of air sufficient to replace .the contents withdrawn by the infant is admitted to the bottle 13 and channel 12 it being understood that the groove 13 extends below the bead 16 and is at all times open bottle and spilling the to the atmosphere. All pressures are thus equalized so that the formation of a vacuum and collapse of the teat 15 is prevented while at the same time no air has any tendency to enter the childs stomach whereby colic resulting from the use of a nursing bottle is entirely avoided. a

The moment the infant ceases to exert a suction action or presses back on the nipple in recovering its breath the portion 15 of the nipple will immediately again seal or close the end 12 of the channel 12. Thus admission of air does not commence until the contents of the bottle are being withdrawn or when vacuum would otherwise tend to form and continues only during the actual sucking by the infant. Any form of airchannel between the nipple and neck of the bottle may be provided as long as the same is controlled by a nipple which acts neck 6.

inthe nature of a valve, although the preferred form consists of a spiral or helical channel arranged as shown in the illustration. .The relatively large length of such a channel, which in the example shown is contents of the bottle would in most cases be suflicient to force the same out and cause leakage through said straight channel while,

at the same time closing same against the admission of air.

It will be seen that in the present case an actual valve is formed by the nipple which controls the air inlet channel and normally" closes same and permits an inflow of air only When the contents are being actually withdrawn from the bottle. In other words the nipple and neck of the bottle have in general a circular cross-section when the nipple is at rest, but when the teat 15 is'compressed or pumped by the infant this cross-section becomes approximately an oval, while at the same time the teat is stretched, .thus opening the valve and permitting air to replace the contents withdrawn from the bottle. At

the same time the nipple is firmly and securely held against accidental or unintentional removal purposely removing the nipple the bead 16 is simply forced over the peripheral edge 10 of the projections 7 and the sleeve 14 then gradually pushed or eased from the The friction grips or ribs 18 by 14 prevent the beads16 and 17 from rolling together when intentionally removing thenipple, the detaching of the nipple being accomplished by means of a sliding movement of the sleeve lengthwise of the neck 6. This is also true when applying or attaching the nipple to the neck. It will of course be understood that the number of ribs 18 may be increased if desired or found advisable and also that the shape of the projections that shown.

stiffening the sleeve My improved structure also eliminates all making the said nipple absolutely sanitary and safe to use.

Various other changes in the specific form shown and described may be made within the'scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

7 may be'other than from the bottle neck. When a I claim: 1. A nursing bottle provided with an externally located air channel having its one end located in the end face of the bottle neck, and a nipple normally extending in contact with said end face to seal said end of the channel, said nipple in the act of sucking being withdrawnfrom said end face whereby said channel is unsealed.

A nursing bottle having a neck provided with an air, inlet channel extending circiilmferentially thereof and terminating in -t e end of said channel to arrest or communication between the interior of the bottle and the atmosphere.

3. A nursing bottle having a neck provided with an air inlet channel extending circumferentially and spirally thereof and terminating in the end face of the bottle neck and a nipple arranged to seal and unseal the terminating end of said channel to arrest and establish communication between the interior of said bottle and the atmosminating I phere.

.4. A nursing bottle having a neck provided with an air inlet channel extending circumferentially and spirally thereof and terminating in the end face of the bottle neck and a nipple arranged to seal and unseal the terminating end of said channel to arrest and establish communication between the interior of said bottle and the atmosphere, said bottle being provided with an inlet groove extending below said nipple and communicating With said channel.

5. A nursing bottle having a neck and a nipple detachably fitted upon said neck, the latter being provided with an externally located air channel extending circumferentially and spirally about said neck and establishing communication between the interior of the bottle and the atmosphere, said channel being arranged to continuously contain a supply of air sufficient to overcome any back pressure of the contents of the bottle through said channel.

6. A nursing bottle having a neck, a series of projections extending circumferentially and outwardly from said neck, said projections being circumferentially spaced apart to form depressions and a nipple detachably connected with said neck and extending over said projections whereby a relative movement of the nipple in the direction of the axis of the bottle is resisted, said nipple bridging said depressions under tension and extending into same whereby a relative rotative movement of said nipple is resisted.

7. A nursing bottle having a neck, a series of projections extending circumferentially and outwardly from said neck, said projections being circumferentially spaced apart to form depressions, a nipple detachably end face of the bottle neck and a nipple arranged to seal and unseal the terbead connected with said neck and extending over said projections and an external annular bead on said nipple located beneath and in contact with said projections whereby a relative movement of the nipple in the directron of the axis of the bottle is resisted, said nipple bridging said depressions under tension and extending into samewhereby a relative rotative movement of said nipple is resisted.

8. A nursing bottle having a neck, a series of projections extending circumferentially and outwardly from said neck, said projections being circumferentially spaced apart to form depressions, a nipple detachably connected with said neck and extending over said projections and external annular beads on said nipple, spaced from each other and located immediately above and below and in contact with said projections whereby a movement of said nipple in opposite axial directions relatively to the bottle is resisted, said nipple bridging said depressions under tension and extending into same whereby a relative rotative movement of said nipple is resisted.

9. A nursing bottle having a neck, a\plurality of projections on said neck, said projections being spaced apart to form depressions, a nipple detachably connected with said neck and extending over said projections and said depressions under tension, annular beads on said nipple spaced from each other and located respectively below and above said projections and ribs extending lengthwise of said nipple and connecting said beads.

10. A nursing bottle comprising a body, a neck, and a plurality of projections thereon circumferentially spaced apart to form depressions, said neck being provided with acontinuous spiral channel extending circumferentially thereof and having its one end terminating in the end face of said neck and its other end communicating with one of said depressions.

11. A nursing bottle comprising a body, a neck, and a plurality of projections thereon circumferentially spaced apart to form depressions, said neck being provided with a continuous spiral channel extending circumferentially thereof and having its one end terminating in the end face of said neck and its other end communicating with one of said depressions and said body having a groove forming a continuation of said depression below said projections.

12. A nursing bottle having a neck, a project-ion extending circumferentially therefrom, said projection having surfaces inclined outwardly in opposite directions from said neck at different angles, a nipple detachably connected with said neck and extending over said projection, an annular on said nipple beneath said projection over said projection in the attaching direction is arrested.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing 10 I witnesses.

MILTON C. COOMBS.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. KEHLE BECK, v FRITZ ZIEGLER, Jr. 

